Soul Reversal
by Arasoi
Summary: Slightly AU of the ending of Duelist Kingdom. Kaiba was Pegasus’ prisoner, and his soul was taken. What can he do when his soul returns and he finds himself in a world of trouble?
1. Default Chapter

Title: Soul Reversal

Author: Arasoi

Rating: R: Strong language, some non-con implication, male/male relationships (yaoi, slash, etc.)

Pairing(s): Seto/Jou, Jou/Seto

Spoilers: Duelist Kingdom (in a weird, AU way)

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and this isn't making any money. Just torturing the characters for shits and giggles.

Summary: Slightly AU of the ending of Duelist Kingdom. Kaiba was Pegasus' prisoner, and his soul was taken. What can he do when his soul returns and he finds himself in a world of trouble?

Soul Reversal: Chapter One

It wasn't like a quiet sigh, or a small cough. It didn't feel like a gentle caress, or a soothing massage. Hell, it wasn't even like a tough day at the gym or a backbreaking day at work.

It was agony. It was ripping and tearing and screaming; like red-hot pokers diving into your flesh, or someone tearing all your nerves out of your body and stomping on them. Really, there is no way to describe that level of pain; the horror and torment of having your soul, your very _essence_, taken from you in a brutal and jarring way.

Seto Kaiba was screaming. Not because his soul was being stolen, but because it was being returned. His senses were ablaze as everything rushed back into the shell of his body. Lights, sounds, textures, feelings, memories all warred with one another for his attention, all reconnecting at the same time. He could not process it, could not understand it, so he let it rule him and did what he could; he screamed.

Time was not a factor of concern for Kaiba, but it passed anyway. His throat became raw, and he was panting; his eyelids flickered, but he did not see. His body heaved as he gasped for breath, but the pain had passed, along with time. His body settled; the parts once again a whole. Only a soreness lingered, a bone weary ache that screamed of the stress his body had endured.

Since everything wasn't screaming at him all at once, Kaiba started to put together what had happened to him; to pull himself together. As his body recovered, the memories demanded his attention first. He remembered his brother; the light and joy of his life chained in a dungeon. His eyes were vacant; an empty container that had once held so much life. He remembered his anger…the rage he held for Pegasus. He remembered cards and monsters; the Blue Eyes Toon Dragon mocking him with his laugh-- a duel of humiliation, loss, and despair. And finally, swift pain and nothing except for darkness.

_Mokuba…what had happened to Mokuba?_ Seto took a deep breath and forced himself to open his eyes. A big blur greeted his vision, then slowly solidified into a room. The lights were dim, but enough to see by. He was no where he recognized. It appeared to be a…museum of some kind. There were display cases all around, holding expensive and ancient looking objects. Everything from armor to tablets to vases; there were even paintings and tapestries on the walls. The selection was very eclectic, represented by every time period and culture; Egyptian, Greek, Japanese- it was all there.

He shifted slightly, trying to get a better view, and discovered the inability to move and the sound of clinking chains. _Oh, that's not good_, his dazed mind surmised. Panic setting in, he tried to move his limbs…only to discover that he was bound.

_Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!_ He swore to himself. He was kneeling on the marble floor, his wrists bound above his head by a long length of chain. Groaning, he rolled his head, letting it rest on his shoulder and arm. Pegasus was dead. He was going to find him, and shove those God Damn toon cards of his down his lying, sleazy throat.

Kaiba shivered, the cold of the room finally settling in his bones. He tried not to think too much on his state of dress-- or lack therefore of-- and what it may have meant. His own clothes were obviously gone, replaced by a simple white oxford that hung open and was not helping to keep him warm at all. The pants were still his, but they were undone, and hung low on his hips. He seemed to have been dressed in a hurry. He could also feel something pressing against his Adam's apple, but he could not see it, so he did not concern himself with it.

What did concern him was how he was going to get out of this hellhole he was in and get to his brother. Shutting his eyes tightly, he gave a hard yank, testing the strength of the chains. No give. He pulled again and again, twisting this way and that, only to work himself to frustration.

"ARGGGGGHHHHHHH!" he shouted, giving one final tug before hanging his head. Well, if he couldn't get free, he was damn well going to let them know he wasn't happy about that fact. "PEGASUS! YOU FUCKING COWARD! Let me go NOW or I'll make sure your life is a living hell! Pegasus! Do you hear me? PEGASUS!"

Nothing. No guards, no Pegasus, no Mokuba, no Yuugi or his goody-goody friends—no one. He was alone. At this point, horrible thoughts started to run through his head. What if no one came? What if he rotted, starved to death, hanging like a piece of art…or meat… in a creepy fucking private collection?

_Heh_. That thought amused him. Is that the way Pegasus saw him? As some kind of prize? A rare collectible to be displayed and kept in a fancy room? Figured. The man was as loony toons as his cards. Still chuckling to himself at the insanity of it all, he turned his head, looking around the bizarre room.

In any normal situation, he may have been interested in the pieces of art, but the situation was far from "normal". Well, at least in Seto Kaiba's world. His eyes roved over the room, and stopped upon the display case closest to him. His eyes widened slightly as he studied the object.

It was an ornate dagger, ceremonial looking. It had a golden hilt, and looked very costly. But none of that really interested Seto. It was sharp, and it was close. And hopefully, it was his ticket to freedom.

Twisting around, he stretched as far as he could, using the long lankiness of his body to his advantage. His toes ran against the base of the display case. Wincing, he struggled some more, extending his arms past their limits. The chains clinked, as if they were angry at his attempt at escape. Just a little more…a little more…

There. His foot was completely flat against the base.

Taking a deep breath, he lashed out, kicking the case. The glass shuddered, then went still. Gritting his teeth, Seto repeated the motion, kicking again and again. The display teetered and tottered, and finally gave in, the knife and its protective shell tumbling to the ground. The CEO gasped and buried his face into his sleeve as the glass shattered, the shards spinning through the air and dancing across the ground. He bit his lip when one piece found a home in his thigh.

When the silence was restored once again, he lifted his gaze, shaking his head to clear the diamond dust pieces of glass from his hair. Ignoring the rather large chunk of glass sticking out of his leg, he scanned the ruined display and found his prize. The knife was within reach.

Once again seeking forth with his feet, he clamored for the dagger, ignoring the sharp bites of the glass littering the floor. _For Mokuba… For Mokuba…._ He repeated the chant in his head. Then, when his toes pushed the dagger away instead of bringing it closer, his frustration and anger added a line to the chant. _For Pegasus…for Pegasus… _

Finally, his foot landed squarely on the blade, and he pulled, bringing his feet and the dagger back to him, the dagger resting between his legs. He studied the knife for a moment, trying to catch his breath. Sweat beaded on his brow and dropped to the ground, despite the chill in the room. When the dagger went from being one to being three, he knew he was in trouble. His vision blurred, and he felt sick to his stomach. _Oh, shit_…he thought weakly. _This is not good_. His vision tunneled and he passed out.

_...Time Passes...._

It was a small dripping sound that brought him back. Odd, that such a small noise could bring about such a large response. But that was often the way, wasn't it? Groaning, he struggled back to consciousness. With a quick look around the room, he was able to determine that pain was still his only companion. Well, that, and the dagger. He stared at it; glared at it, as if it held the answers to the universe…or perhaps as if it was the cause of all his misery, instead of his best hope.

As he kept from trying to be sick all over himself and the floor—the small stream of blood dripping from his leg was not doing wonders for his appetite—he considered his situation. Why hadn't anyone come to see to him? Why was his soul back (for now, he had no doubt that the searing processes that he had been through had indeed been a soul taking and a soul returning)? Where were the others, and his brother? Were they dueling? Was everyone gone? Had they left him behind?

He couldn't help but feel abandoned and forgotten. But it didn't surprise him. He was always alone. He protected his brother, not the other way around. And why should anyone else care? He made a point of not making any friends or trusting anyway. So why would they care about him when he treated them like scum, with less respect than he treated his property? So, once again, it was up to him to get himself out of trouble. Or die trying.

Shifting his weight, he used his knees to grab the dagger. Leaning down, he tried to grab it with his mouth, but the chains resisted. Tucking his knees higher, he tried everything he could get the knife up, but nothing worked. The chains holding his arms hostage were just too tight. His head could barely move. Closing his eyes in defeat, he realized what he had to do.

Taking deep breaths, he threw his weight down and away, twisting as hard as he could against the chains. A silent scream escaped his lips as a loud POP echoed in the room. Seto's arm was now dislocated from his shoulder joint with that quick, violent motion. Little white dots danced in front of his eyes, and his body trembled with the level of pain heaped upon it.

A small sob left him, and he was ashamed of it, and very glad no one was there to hear it. But still, he would know, and he was ashamed.

But now, at least, he had the little extra slack he needed. With all the strength left in his body, he drove his head down while raising his knees; the blade of the dagger settling between his teeth and slicing his tongue, the cooper taste of his blood rushing into his mouth. Raising his head, he fought to remain conscience, knowing that if he passed out again, he would loose his tool, and it all that effort would have been for nothing.

Fighting his way through the pain, he considered his next move. He had gotten this far, but now, he wasn't sure what to do. Picking the lock seemed like a hopeless task, what with his wrists so far up. Maybe he could toss the dagger and grab it with his hands? Seto groaned around the knife's sharp blade. As a businessman and a master duelist, he understood odds better than most. And his weren't looking so great. But still, he refused to sit around and wait to die…or for Pegasus to come back. It was a long shot, but perhaps, his only one…

Just as he was about to give it a try, the double doors to the room swung open and a figure ran in--a very familiar figure. Shocked, Seto dropped the dagger; its heavy weight clattering as it struck the marble at his knees.

Katsuya Jounouchi stood in the doorway, framed by the harsh fluorescent lights of the hall. He was panting hard, as if he had been running. The young man blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room. He looked around quickly, searching for something. His gaze swept right past Kaiba, and then, as if it took a moment for him to process what he was seeing, swung back again to Pegasus' prisoner.

"Kaiba!" he shouted, running towards the CEO. As Jounouchi got closer, the glass crunched under his worn tennis shoes. "God! Are you okay? What the Hell did that freak do to you? You look like shit!" Kaiba's head swam as Katsuya's voice bombarded him with questions. He looked at the younger duelist, trying to focus on him, and half-wondering if this wasn't a hallucination.

He opened his mouth; to answer the questions, to ask about Mokuba, to ask why him what he was doing here. But then the mutt touched his shoulder, and there was fire, and pain, and then… nothing.

End Chapter One

Author's Notes:

This was originally written for the Dragon's Lair Plot Bunny Freeze Frame challenge. I was given an image to work with, and had to build a plot around it. The image had Seto chained up with the tip of a dagger in his mouth. It was not easy, and I ended up busting canon up all over the place, so I made it an "Alternate Universe" story. ::coughcopoutcough::

Anyway, this is will be a short series of fics that deals with Kaiba's recovery regarding what happens to him at Duelist Kingdom. Soul Reversal is two parts. The other parts will be named after the "soul" cards in the Yu-Gi-Oh CCG, as well. Ummm…the character names are Japanese, but in English order (first names first, last names last), since the fic is in English. I think that's it for the technical stuff. Hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Soul Reversal: Chapter Two

Title: Soul Reversal

Author: Arasoi

Rating: R: Strong language, some non-con implication, and male/male relationships (yaoi, slash, etc). Oh, and violence. Can't forget the violence…

Pairing(s): Seto/Jou, Jou/Seto

Spoilers: Duelist Kingdom…kind of.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and this isn't making any money.

Summary: Slight AU. Takes place after the events in Duelist Kingdom. Kaiba was Pegasus' prisoner, and his soul was taken. Can Jou help Seto…can Seto help himself?

Soul Reversal: Chapter Two

What is the worth of one person?

Do certain people have a greater value than others? And if so, what is the measure by which we determine the valuable from the trash? Is it appearance? Morals? Assets? The things they say, do, or create? Is a millionaire "worth" more than a homeless person? Or does it go the other way around?

Katsuya Jounouchi was of the opinion that one Seto Kaiba was worthless…or very well on the way there. On the surface, it would seem as if Kaiba was a very valuable person. Millions in cash and assets, a multi-national corporation, top-notch dueling skills, good looks, fancy clothes and possessions, and one hell of an arrogant attitude…all of this, and still, he had no worth in Jounouchi's mind. Well, almost no worth. There was one exception.

Kaiba's little brother Mokuba.

Mokuba was the only thing giving value to Kaiba's life, making an otherwise useless person worth something. No matter what Kaiba did, no matter how horribly he acted, Katsuya could hold a small amount of respect for Seto Kaiba because of the way he treated his brother. Kaiba would do anything for his brother, at the risk of himself or others, which became painfully obvious on top of this very castle. The Kaiba brothers' love and devotion for each other were easy to see, despite how hard the elder brother tried to disguise it.

It was something that Jounouchi could understand—something he could relate to. And it was the one thing that redeemed Kaiba in his mind. But it still didn't mean he had to like him.

So as he ran down the corridors, kicking open doors in search of one Seto Kaiba; wondering why…_why_ he even bothered when Kaiba was just going to insult and make fun of him, he kept reminding himself of why he was doing this….

Because Mokuba would kick his ass if anything happened to his precious older brother.

"_Here."_

_The young, blond duelist blinked as a set of small keys was hurled at him. Fumbling once, he secured them, then looked at his friends. Turning back to the suited man, he asked, "What are these for?"_

"_Mr. Crawford says you might need those when you find Seto Kaiba. He told me to relay to you that Mr. Kaiba is being held in the North wing of the castle, on the second floor. His belongings are behind the Dali. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to tend to Mr. Crawford." The man bowed and turned briskly, walking away from the teenagers. _

_They all looked at each other, wondering what they should do. Mokuba pulled away from the group, running into the middle of the courtyard. "Well, what are we waiting for? Which way is North?" The younger Kaiba was looking towards the sky, trying to determine a direction, when his small legs gave out and he sunk to his knees. _

"_Mokuba!" Yuugi yelled, running to the boy. Mokuba looked up and smiled._

"_I'm okay…just a little weak, I guess. Help me stand?" Yuugi pulled him up, giving a concerned look to his friends. Yuugi and Jounouchi's eyes locked, and Jou gave a small nod. _

"_Hey, Mokuba…why don't you stay here and rest? I'll go get your brother." Katsuya tossed the keys up once and caught them, giving a smile and a wink to the boy. _

I must be a masochist. Or insane. A masochist or insane…or maybe an insane masochist. Why else would someone actually OFFER to go looking for Seto Kaiba?

Another kicked in door, another empty room. This was getting old. Katsuya took a moment to catch his breath before sprinting down the hall toward the next room. Leave it to Kaiba to make something as simple as being found a difficult pain in the ass.

Last door, last room. Katsuya squeezed his hand tight, pressing the keys deep into his flesh. One deep breath and a well-placed kick, and the double doors flew open, pouring light into a darkened room.

To say the room surprised him would be an understatement. So far, all the rooms he had barged into were offices and bedrooms. But this one was more like a museum. All sorts of statues and drawings and stuff. It figures that Pegasus would be into that kind of junk. After all, the man owned a castle. Who owns a castle in this day and age?

Jou blinked once or twice, then started scanning the room. Statue of a naked woman, some weird stone tablet, some jewelry, Kaiba chained up, samurai armor, some vase, a…Jounouchi halted and snapped his head back around, and confirmed what his mind refused to accept the first time around.

Seto Kaiba, kneeling in the middle of a glass strewn floor, shirt hanging open, dagger in his mouth, blood seeping from his leg…and completely stunned look on his face. It was a truly bizarre moment. During his shock, the knife slipped from Kaiba's mouth, a small trickle of blood gathering on his lips and chin.

The sound of the dagger hitting the marble floor brought Jounouchi to his senses. "Kaiba!" he called, running towards the captive duelist. A million questions formed in his mind, and they all came pouring out of his lips at once. "God! Are you okay? What the Hell did that freak do to you? You look like shit!"

His eyes darted around, trying to take in the situation. Glass was everywhere, and Kaiba didn't look so great…in fact, he looked a little green around the gills. And speaking of gills, the CEO was doing a great impression of a landed fish, opening and closing his mouth again and again, apparently more in shock than Katsuya himself was.

In an attempt to reassure him, Jounouchi placed his hand on Kaiba's shoulder, and was horrified when Kaiba's mouth opened into a silent scream, and he passed out.

"Kaiba? Kaiba! Oh, shit…" Ignoring the glass, the blond dropped to his knees in front of Kaiba and hesitantly touched his cheek with his palm. He didn't know what to do! Normally, he would shake him until he woke up, but he didn't feel that was such a good idea in this case. Jounouchi's eyes searched Kaiba's taunt face, searching for any sign of life. His gaze landed on the collar that was tightly secured to Kaiba's neck.

With a growl of anger and a hint of red staining his cheeks, Jounouchi undid the collar and tossed it across the room. Sliding his hand down to Seto's neck, the boy pressed two fingers against Kaiba's sweaty skin. The pulse was there, and not too weak, either. Jounouchi let a small breath escape and wiped his shaking hand on his jeans.

Well, if he couldn't wake the bastard up, at least he could get him free. Unclenching his fist, he examined the keys, wondering which to use. Shrugging, he stood and grabbed the manacle around one of Kaiba's wrists. Jounouchi winced at the mess that Kaiba had made of his wrists; chaffing, red welts that were beginning to bleed. Biting his bottom lip, Jou inserted a key and turned, and thankfully, the lock gave way. As gently as he could, he pulled Kaiba's wrist free and set it down. The CEO remained motionless.

After freeing his second hand, Jou slipped his arms underneath Kaiba's shoulders to drag him away from the glass. That was when he realized that Kaiba's arm was dislocated. No wonder he had passed out. It was at that moment that Katsuya Jounouchi started to see red. Pegasus…was going to pay. It didn't matter that Kaiba was an asshole who tormented him. No one deserved this.

After fretting for a moment over the shoulder, he decided. _Oh, well…no helping it_, he thought bleakly before grabbing Kaiba and pulling him across the floor, careful to kick most of the glass out of the way. As he reached the side of the room, a small moan came from his burden. Katsuya blinked, then laid Kaiba down on the ground. "Kaiba? You awake?" he asked, leaning over to look at Seto's face.

Two eyelids peered open slowly to reveal two somewhat glassy blue eyes staring up at him. Kaiba's eyes closed again, and Jou thought he had lost him to unconsciousness once more…until Kaiba spoke.

"Mutt…wh…what are you doing?" Seto Kaiba swallowed, the words coming out slurred and scratchy. He rolled his head, and felt cool marble against his cheek.

Jou gave a small smile, a far cry from his cocky, big-mouthed grin, and answered. "I'm here to get you, of course. Your little brother is worried, but I told him to leave it to me. Ummm…are you okay?"

Kaiba's eyebrows knitted together at the question. If only he had the energy to call Jounounchi a moron for even asking that question. Forcing himself to face the light, he opened his eyes once again to see his annoying classmate hovering over him. "What, do you mean besides the dislocated arm, the chunk of glass in my leg, the slit in my mouth, and the fact my soul was ripped out and thrown back in? Besides that, I'm great. How are you?"

It was Jou's turn to do his best fish imitation. It amazed him that Kaiba could be a complete and utter dick, even lying there in pain. That must take some true natural talent. Katsuya opened his mouth to give as good as he got, but took one look at the tense lines around Kaiba's eyes and mouth, and the stiffness in his neck, and realized that he could be the bigger man here. "Okay…" he said, bringing his whip-like temper into check, "…okay. Try not to move, and I'll go get help."

"NO!"

Jounouchi was halfway up when Kaiba's fingers closed around his wrist. Eyes wide in surprise, he looked back and saw a sight he never thought he'd live to see. Seto Kaiba, panicked and scared. "Do…don't go. I…" Kaiba stopped, as if he realized what he was saying. Katsuya watched in amazement as the look of terror left Kaiba's face and a more neutral expression took up residence.

Schooling his own face to hide his pity and surprise, Jounouchi reassured him. "Kaiba, I…I'm not sure what to do here. Let me go get the others…they'll know what to do."

"Katsuya Jounouchi, if you leave me alone, or if you bring my brother into this room, I will make your life a living hell. More of a hell than it already is. Do you understand me?" Kaiba shook with the strain, trying to push the pain to the back of his mind. His eyes were locked with Katsuya's; pleading with a threat, bargaining with an empty offer.

The other wasn't fooled. He saw the oath for what it was, and was torn. As much as he would love to grant Kaiba's request, he didn't know what to do. What if there were internal injuries? And…there were other issues. Since entering the room, Jounouchi had been trying hard not to think about what Kaiba's shirt and pants were doing open, and what he was doing hanging in the middle of the room in the first place. Just thinking about what may have been done made Jou's hand clench into a fist. And as bad as he may have felt for Kaiba, he did NOT want to deal with that particular issue. That was for therapists and doctors and guidance counselors to deal with.

Katsuya Jounouchi often felt inadequate, but never so much as right at that moment.

One more look at Kaiba, and his shoulders sunk in defeat. "All right, all right…have it your way, you stubborn bastard," Kaiba's eyes closed in relief, "But I'm telling you, I don't know what to do. You, uh, look pretty bad off, and I'm not sure how much we should be moving you…"

Kaiba coughed and tried to clear his throat. "Is…is there any water in here?" He was almost past the point he could talk, his throat choking off his words. His lifted his good arm to feel his throat, and was surprised to find the object around it was gone.

Jou grinned at him sheepishly, and muttered, "I had to make sure you weren't dead." A new emotion washed across Kaiba's face, but was gone before Katsuya could decipher it. "And yeah, I think I saw a bar on the other side of the room. Hang on."

Jounouchi trotted to the bar, pushing past the liquor to find a bottled water. Jogging back to Kaiba, he blushed a little, trying to avoid looking at Kaiba's state of undress. Unscrewing the cap, Jou slipped a hand under Kaiba's neck and helped him drink. Kaiba nodded slightly, indicting that was fine. Putting the water down, Jou turned to the young millionaire and asked, "Now what?"

Kaiba looked up at the shaggy-haired boy and sighed. Rolling on his side, he ignored Jounouchi's protests. He forced himself up to a sitting position, his back against the wall. "I'm fine, mutt. Stop fretting." Jounouchi held his tongue for the second time that night. Or was it the third? He'd lost count already.

"My shoulder. We need to pop it back in place. We'll do that first."

Jounouchi flinched at those words. Oh, this was so not going to be fun. But it had to be done, and Yuugi and the others were waiting. Nodding once, Jou took Kaiba's bad arm and lifted it up. Kaiba turned his head the opposite direction and closed his eyes tightly. Holding the wrist in one hand and placing his other hand on Seto's shoulder, he looked at his rival and asked, "Ready?"

One brisk nod was Kaiba's answer. With a small swear, Jounouchi pushed on Seto's shoulder while holding his arm steady, sliding the ball back into the joint. A small gasp and some rather harsh panting was all the reaction that Seto gave. Jounouchi ran his hand up and down Kaiba's arm, as if to chase the pain away. Kaiba gave him a sidelong look from beneath his sweat-drenched bangs, and Jou stopped.

"Ummm…is it okay?" he asked. Kaiba nodded once, then moved his arm a little, as if to prove it. He could feel some pain still, but it was lessened quite a bit. "I hate to push you, but we need to move soon here, or Yuugi and the others will come lookin' for us…"

With a long-suffering sigh, Kaiba replied, "Fine." Sitting up a little more, Kaiba started to shrug out of his shirt. If Jounouchi thought he had turned red before, he was mistaken. That was light red by comparison. Now, he was turning all sorts of new shades of it.

"What…" he squawked, then cleared his throat in an attempt to regain his dignity, "…what are you doin'?" Katsuya tried not to notice Seto's toned chest, and prayed that Seto didn't notice him trying not to notice.

"This isn't my shirt, and we need it for something else. Go fetch the dagger, pup."

_Anything to get away from you_, Katsuya thought angrily before stomping over to wear the dagger was. _Pup? PUP? As if mutt wasn't bad enough. Stupid Kaiba and his stupid attitude and his stupid sexy body. He can go to Hell. Maybe I should go get the others. How would he like THAT? Fancy pants rich boy…_

And then he reached the spot where the dagger was, and saw the chains still hanging from the ceiling, and the drops of blood on the ground, and all the anger switched to Pegasus. Snatching the blade off the ground, he turned and stalked back to Seto.

Stupid Pegasus and his fucking tournament and weird ass shit. Like I wanted to be patching up Kaiba and nursing his ass. Fucking pervert and his fucking bondage collars. Asshole.

"Here!" he said, thrusting the dagger at Kaiba. The CEO blinked and then smirked. It was weak, but it was definitely a smirk, and Jou was split in half. One part of him was cheering because it meant that Kaiba was going to be okay.

The other part of him wanted to clock him so hard that he wouldn't even feel his other injuries.

Kaiba rested the back of his head against the wall and said, "Actually, mutt, if you wouldn't mind…I don't think I can. My arm." He said lamely.

"What do you want me to do with it? Oh God, please don't tell me to cut you anywhere. I know I always talk like I want to, but really, I'd rather just beat ya' in a duel. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll fight you if I have to and shit, but only if I really need to, and…" Jounouchi clamped his mouth shut, realizing that Kaiba was staring at him, "Ummm…what should I do?"

"I want to get this chunk of glass out of my leg, and before we do that, we need bandages. I think that shirt will do nicely, don't you?" Kaiba's eyes drifted shut. Jounouchi shifted slightly. Kaiba looked pretty damn pale, and he looked so tired, too. He wasn't sure that the stubborn fool wasn't hurt worse than he let on.

He made quick work of the shirt, tearing the fabric into strips. Done, he tossed the dagger away and turned back to Kaiba, who was slumped over. "Hey!" he shouted, grabbing him by the shoulders. Kaiba started, jumping awake with a small gasp. Looking around dazedly, his eyes met Jou's.

Seto reached up and grabbed Katsuya's wrists, whether to remove them, or keep them there, Jounouchi wasn't sure. Uncertain of himself and the situation, the blond duelist cleared his throat, and Seto's eyes hardened. "The bandages are done," Jou stated lamely.

"The bar…get some alcohol…" Seto whispered, turning his face away from his companion. Jou went back to the bar and returned with some Everclear, the strongest proof he could find. He returned to find that Kaiba had wrapped his hand in a piece of the shirt and was grasping the shard of glass. Setting the bottle down, he kneeled down next to him.

With steely determination in his eyes, he covered Kaiba's hands with his own. "Why don't you let me?" he asked. Kaiba glanced down, hiding his eyes under the long locks of his brown hair. His shoulders tightened once, as if he was going to yell at Jou, then they slumped in defeat, and his hands slid out from underneath Jou's. Katsuya felt the warmth of Seto Kaiba's hands replaced by the sharp coldness of the glass, and wondered how he could have ever thought that Kaiba was cold.

Wrapping a cloth around his hand, he grabbed the shard, and steadying Kaiba's leg with his other hand, he pulled, quick as he could. Kaiba jerked, but didn't make a peep. Throwing the glass away from them, Katsuya reached for the bottle of liquor. The blood was pouring freely now, soaking the leg of Kaiba's pants and turning the blue to black.

Pulling the cork out with his teeth, Jou held the bottle over the wound. "Kaiba…this is going to sting, okay?" Kaiba didn't respond. Jou poured, watching the clear liquid rush across the wound and mingle with the blood. Kaiba's leg jerked once, then twitched, but after that, settled down.

"Mokuba…is Mokuba okay?" the soft question came. Jou spared Kaiba a quick look before putting the bottle down.

"Yeah, he's fine. He was all ready to charge in here and save your sorry ass, but apparently, having your soul sucked out takes a lot out of ya'. He's resting with Yuugi and the gang." Kaiba said nothing.

With the wound disinfected, Jou wrapped Kaiba's leg up, tying it tightly. "There we go…all wrapped up." Even though the bandaging was done, Jou couldn't seem to force himself to move his hand. So there it sat… on Kaiba's leg…the leg of Seto Kaiba. Yep. His hand was on Seto's thigh.

I need to get a life.

"So, what now? Do you think you can stand? Mokuba has got to be worried by now…" Kaiba raised his head, his eyes hazy, sweat running down his face. Jounouchi frowned. "Hey…you really don't look to great…" He reached for Kaiba's forehead, but a hand swatted him away.

"Listen, mutt…I…appreciate what you did here, okay? Maybe we can work out a reward or something. But from now on, keep your hands to yourself…understand?"

It was possible that Katsuya Jounouchi had never been more insulted and angry at the same time in his whole life. And his whole life was full of both.

"Fine." He said, his voice deep and his words clipped. "Get your ass up or I'm leaving you." It was over. He was done with treating Seto Kaiba nice, done being kind. If that asshole couldn't get over himself long enough to accept a little help…reward, his ass. Three million yen in a tournament, and Seto Fucking Kaiba was offering him a "reward". How noble of him.

He was halfway to the door before he heard the words.

"Jounounchi!" Kaiba shouted; and he turned, and wished he hadn't. Because Kaiba was standing, swaying on his bare feet, his pants low on his hips-- still undone and stained with blood. His arms were wrapped around his shirtless chest, and he was shivering ever so slightly. Seto was staring at him with those intense blue eyes, his brown hair plastered to his head and neck by his sweat….and Jounounchi finally realized why Pegasus had put him in HERE, to keep and display and dammit, that was a twisted thought, and he was not thinking it. This was not happening. Focus. Focus.

In an attempt to not look like a completely brain dead moron, he remembered to reply, "What?" Good recovery, Moron.

Katsuya could hear his rival's teeth grinding from across the room. Kaiba took one staggering step forward, then another, until he was standing in front of his "savior".

"My possessions. Did anyone find them? I can't leave without them."

Jou snapped his fingers, which startled Kaiba. "That's right! I forgot!" Jounounchi gave that geeky laugh that Kaiba hates because it grates on his nerves like nails across a chalkboard. Jou ignores the glare and continues. "Pegasus' goon said that your stuff was behind a dollie of some kind. Maybe one of the dolls in the display cases?"

Kaiba gives Jou a confused look, then glances around the room. There are statues, but no dolls of any kind on display. "Are you sure? That doesn't seem right…"

Katsuya crossed his arms over his chest and shot Kaiba a nasty look. "Yes, I'm sure! He said it was all behind a dollie. Maybe he didn't know what the hell he was talkin' about. Or maybe they threw it all away. Who knows?"

Kaiba was scanning the room again, then suddenly stopped, his lips turned up into a grin. He started to chuckle, and soon, it was close to that laugh that Jou hated because it meant that Bad Things were about to happen. The "Seto Kaiba's Gone Insane Again" laugh. Jounouchi put his hands on his hips, waiting for Kaiba to finish.

Maybe the fever was finally getting to him.

Kaiba finally stopped laughing and grinned at Jou, and Jou's heart skips a beat. "Puppy, you are too much. Really." Pointing at a painting on the far side of the room, Kaiba simply states "It's behind that one. The artist is Dali. I assume you have the appropriate code or key?"

Jounouchi hates blushing in front of Kaiba, but he can't help it. He always feels like he's not good enough, and who the hell needs to know some stupid artist's name anyway? Narrowing his eyes, he replies, "Yeah, I have the key. Why don't you zip up your pants while I go get your crap, hmm?"

He is satisfied to see that he is no longer the one blushing.

Minutes later, Seto Kaiba is looking much more like himself, despite the bloody bandage around his leg and the pale look of someone who has been pushed too hard too fast. Tucking his shirt in, he buttons his trench coat, hiding the wound on his leg. Jounouchi doesn't say anything, letting Kaiba keep his illusions.

Seto Kaiba takes the pendant that Jou holds out to him. Holding his breath, he opens it, and a soft smile adorns his face as he looks at the picture inside. Jounouchi doesn't need to ask who it is. Spreading the necklace apart, Kaiba drops it over his head, and it reclaims the rightful spot on its owner.

"Ready?" Jou asks. Kaiba looks at him, his expression unreadable, as it should be.

"Ready," he replies, and they step through the doors together.

End Soul Reversal

Author's Note:

If it seems like a weird place to end, that's because the fic ended earlier then I wanted to because of a deadline for the challenge. Needless to say, there are a lot of unresolved issues I'll be tackling in the sequel.

Ummm…once again, Japanese names, English order. For those that may not know, Pegasus is Pegasus J. Crawford in the Japanese, so that's who Mr. Crawford is (no, it isn't a Weiss crossover…heh). I don't think there was anything else, note wise. Comments are appreciated…I always like to hear what the readers are thinking.


End file.
